Biodiversity Series: Extinction Shock

Isolated for millions of years, the island continent of Australia seen from space resembles a hot red planet, more akin to Mars than the cool blue Earth.

Spared the geological upheaval affecting the other continents, Australia offers a glimpse back in time to the lost land of Gondwana and wealth of evolutionary marvels suited to thrive in this forbidding landscape.

The arrival of man, more specifically Europeans, proved to be a more formidable challenge to survival and evolution than the harsh landscape. Hunting and farming practices, combined with the shock of intruder species better armed for competition has proved fatal for many endemic species.

Join photographer Frans Lanting in a look at Extinction Shock - the first of five Biodiversity Series PhotoVoyages.

Explore visually by choosing thumbnail images (above) or linearly from start to finish by Topic (left).

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